Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-01-25
AN AWFUL NIGHT.

Early in the winter OF 1868, l vc OF
dsrsd TO r,por, .. Benton barracks, 81.
Louis. Missouri. TO s.i,, 10 Organizing
new regiments.
4, looked like snow vhsn ! left Phil.
.delphis. and |, did 'nov. worse and
worse, A. We .Peeded further ~e', By
the time We reached Tere HAuie. To-
diana, ,hlns. looked very blue for
getting on.
AnIiou. no, to lose . chance TO reach
my station. | "hsld the fort" Ia The cars.
III. conductor assuring me that the en-
giae and mail car would 20 ahead any
how. aud ,k., could be thus put
through"
| W. awakened by the brakeman.
who informed me that The conductor had
gone 10 the hotel. leaving him TO wake
me aud cay ,ha, there VAS no hope OF
anything on wheels going on, that night
Ny di.spoin,msni rendered me ansry
and unreasonable. ro.e up IN my
wrath and An.,hemA,iIsd the road and
all connected with il, high aud low. As
be advised me to stay in the cars. | de-
,.rminsd no, 10 do 90.
/ had been for some eight months at
my home recovering from an usly
wound in the face. received in our hf''
advance .gsins, Richmond this vas
not entirely healed and my bead VAS "in
bag" large covering enclosing my
face and head. leaving only the LEFT eye
aud mouth visible; and this. while |
appealed to the patriotic. who then 'ym-
paihired with wounded soldiers. made
me . queer.lookirg figure.
In the baggage car chained TO my
trunk va. Mac. my deg. . large Eng-
li.h greyhound. pc, | had broash, from
home through = leeling Of sentiment.
Onee determined to sally forth. l wen,
to the baggage car. united Mac. opened
my trunk. exchanged my DIRE. overeoa'
ior one Of rough blue. drew on long
boots outside my trousers. strapped on =
bel, with two ,ix-shoo.sn in holsters.
Receiving directions /. TO the lay Of the
hotel from the brakeman. and calling
Mac, we plunged into the storm. On.
and on, and on we blandered and STUN
bled, the poor dog keeping close to me
and whining pi,eOu'ly. Suddenly |
heard = noise. and forcing my way
sssin., the wind and snow. toward II,
came "bang up" against the side OF =
house. Under this partial protection |
looked along and Was cheered by the
sigh, Of . CLEAN Of ligh, which came
from IN open window. The door OF the
house I quickly found and With Mac en-
tered the dingy bar.room Of ,hird.raie
lager beer saloon. II Was about III
o'clock at night; the proprietor W. a
rough, surly German. lie stared with
a,,onishmen, u We burs, in upon him.
could l stay there ,hs, night"
"Nawv'
"why not, Look here old man. !
look pretty rough, bu, I've 20, money
to pay for everything want or order.
exhibiting . large roll Of greenbaeks. "lf
you can't give me . bed. make up your
fire here. 20 !, will keep all night and III
pay you well to le, me sleep on chairs in
this bAr-room.'
"vsl," he replied. with hesitation. 81
haf Won room got unit int two beds Is {;
bud der 10 Won man dare already.
81 don't care II there's an elephant in
the one bed 80 l get the other" said {;
"let's have !, right off"
"Der dog. be will here s,hay. eh ?!
"No sir.ee. ihs, dog goes where ! do.
I'll pay for him like any other Christian I;
put IL in the bill"
With . grunt and . shrug the heavy
old fellow lighted about half an inch OF
,sllow candle and telling me to "Come
on. den r. led the way out Of side door
and up dirty. riekety stsirs to what
might be called the "front attic" As
We passed door on the second floor =
woman's voice called to the man. i sup.
pose she asksd him II be WAS coming to
bed, a. be answered that he Was only
going TO show "dis fellsr to bet"
The room In which he placed me Was
mean in every wsy-ons "trip OF rag
carpet in the middle. . poor bed under
each slope Of the roof. He placed the
candlestiek on . rude shslf. and with .
grunt. took his departure.
looked around, and did not like the
appearances Of things. ssv . lot OF
rough clothing piled on = broken chair